Sports & Leisure in Weston-super-Mare

Sports junkies can fill their boots in Weston-super-Mare so if it’s participation spills or spectator thrills you want, we’ve got it all action-packed and ready. We've got blockbster events and some incredible adrenaline-pumping sports you can get involved with.

Beach Race

Check out the annual Beach Race which has to be seen to be believed. It has been described as the ‘maddest and baddest’ motorcycle race going and you won’t be disappointed. Take part, if you dare, or watch as the professionals and amateurs battle it out on one of the toughest sand tracks anywhere in the world. Some 200,000 tonnes of the golden stuff are moved each year to create the challenging course where excitement is guaranteed. The 2023 event is on the weekend of September 23 and 24.

Rock climbing

The adrenaline rush continues at Uphill where the cliffs provide the playground for rock climbers and abseilers who will be afforded magnificent views all over Somerset and out across Brean Down to Wales. Rain doesn’t need to stop play either. Head indoors to Rock Up where the whole family can test themselves against the climbing wall or try the centre’s vertical drop slide which is the tallest in the UK. And if you want to try out the real thing, with highly qualified instructors helping you, then head for the Mendip Activity Centre where climbing and abseiling are among the many activities on offer. 

Skiing and snowsports

Learn to ski or brush up on your snowboarding skills at the Mendip Activity Centre. The centre boasts a floodlit 165-metre artificial dry ski slope which is open all year-round. See also the centre's toboggan run which is a huge favourite with children around Christmas time.

Paddleboarding and swimming

We have a full page all about swimming here including a feature all about the Weston Supermares who have taken swimming in Weston to new levels! On this page you will also find details about Marine Lake which provides an excellent quiet base to learn paddleboarding as it is separated from the sea by a causeway and is away from the jet-skiers who love nothing more than a high-speed tour of Weston bay. If you're new to paddleboarding or want to try kayaking or canoeing, check out the Mendip Activity Centre where you can do it all with tuition and guidance from their team of expert instructors.

Weston Super Half

Weston-super-Mare's Half Marathon is another eagerly-awaited event on the town's calendar and for the runners it is a half marathon with a real difference as it includes two sections of tough beach running across the sand.

It also comes with the unique opportunity of finishing a quarter-of-a-mile out to sea as the finish is on the Grand Pier itself.

It is a real feel-good event with the Rock Choir entertaining the crowds and also lifting the spirits of the runners on their way around the course. The 2024 event will take place on Sunday, March 24.

Rugby and beach sports

Fans of the oval ball are also well-catered for. There are two clubs in the town as well the annual Beach Rugby Festival where players are guaranteed a softer landing. It is a tag rugby event where male, female and mixed teams from all across the UK compete and enjoy a mixture of sand, music and rugby.)

The 2023 Beach Rugby Festival on August 11, 12 & 13 will also incorporate a Beach Netball Festival. 

Windzone and watersports

High octane action is also assured when the wind whips up and the windsurfers and kite boaders descend on the beach performing their spectacular stunts, cutting through the water, riding the surf and rising high into the air as the wind lifts them upwards.
As the gusts continue, head to the Royal Sands end of the beach and watch in awe as the Blo-karters race their three-wheeled sail karts at high speed across the sand.

Jet-skiers are another popular sight setting off from the slipway at the Knightstone Island end of the beach when the tide is favourable. Please keep a check on our tide times here.

Golf

Golfers can test themselves on the challenging and picturesque Weston-super-Mare links golf course which is open to locals and visitors alike. There are also nearby courses at Bleadon and Clevedon.

Cycling

We have an entire section dedicated for cyclists which you can access by clicking here. It includes plenty of information for riders including sections on the eight-mile Brean Down Way cycle path, running from the Grand Pier to Brean Down, the Strawberry Line cycle route to Cheddar as well as other routes. There's also information for mountain bike riders and riders who prefer their action with even more thrills such as these jaw-dropping jumps and ramps as pictured below at the Sand Bay Dirt Jumps.

Football

Football fans can still get their regular fix watching semi-professional side Weston-super-Mare FC in action at Woodspring Stadium. Weston compete in National League South.

Indoor Sports

The town’s spanking new All Stars bowling alley offers ten pin bowling, virtual darts and pool tables while Hutton Moor Sports Centre boasts an indoor swimming pool, basketball, badminton, table tennis, netball and five aside. It is also one of three venues in Weston, alongside the Blakehay Theatre and the Winter Gardens, that offers occasional professional wrestling. You can also try your hand at indoor axe throwing at the Activity Dome in North Street.

Petanque or Boules

In July 2023, an outdoor petanque and bowls court was opened at the Southern end of the Beach Lawns near Royal Sands. It is free to use and has eight lanes but people will need to bring their own boules.

Activity Centres

Just a short distance out of town at Wall Eden and the Mendip Activity Centre, the action continues apace with paddle-boarding, kayaking, a toboggan run, archery, shooting and axe throwing all available alongside wild-caving experiences.